Clouds
Prologue A cat crept through the shadows, black fur blending effortlessly into the shadows. ''Well, it thought, its vivid eyes glinting. What do we have here? Other cats, with eyes shining brightly and pelts dappled by the sun reaching between the pine branches. Ugh. Even cats here, in the darkness, are...good. Good had won far too many times. Light had triumphed a hundred times too many. But this cat wouldn't let it. Just once. It would bring darkness to these cats that called themselves "Clans". It would finally lead the evil to its rightful victory. It would bring the right triumph. And to do that, it would infiltrate the Clans one by one, and bring about the darkness that was needed. Chapter 1 ~ Rainpaw A wet drop splashed on Rainpaw's muzzle. Then another, and another. A faint sprinkle started up from the cloudy gray sky, thickening into a heavy drizzle. Within the next few heartbeats, a steady blue-gray downpour was thoroughly drenching the dark green and brown pine forests. The tortoiseshell tom retreated back into the apprentice's den. "Why won't it just stay dry at this point in newleaf?" he grumbled, partly to himself, partly to his denmates. "Shut up, Rainpaw," mumbled Willowpaw. Of course, she loved the rain and thunder. "Some of us are trying to sleep here." "Only you would sleep through a thunderstorm," hissed Rainpaw. "I said, SHUT UP!" groaned Willowpaw. The silver tabby she-cat rested her chin on her paws and closed her stormy blue eyes. "...whatever," Rainpaw retorted under his breath. It was a lame comeback, but he rarely won an argument with Willowpaw, and had long since given up trying. With a light sigh, he curled up and fell into the calm void of sleep. When he woke up again, it was still dark. A thin layer of mist coated the camp, in place of the previous heavy rainfall. "...can't do it," a voice was whispering. It sounded more like a she-cat than a tom. "But we have to. Otherwise..." the other voice, sounding more tom-like, hissed. They went into even quieter urgent whispering. "Fine," grumbled the she-cat. "But I don't like this." Rainpaw burst out of his den. "Who are you?" The two cats seemed shocked. Their pelts were both black, but the she-cat, who was even smaller than Rainpaw was, had glimmering green ones, while the tom's eyes were amber. "I'm Shade," purred the tom. His amber eyes glowed menacingly. "Who might you be?" "Shade!" snarled the small she-cat. She might have been small, but she was probably a moon or two older than Rainpaw, judging by the tone of her voice and the glint of her long white claws in the vague moonlight. "I'll ask the questions, and don't you forget it." She turned back to Rainpaw, green eyes venomous. "Hi. I'm Strike. We're here to just ask your leader...a few questions." Her white fangs shimmered as she pulled back her lips viciously. "Umm..." Rainpaw didn't want to stand up to her. She looked too menacing. "H-he sleeps over there." He flicked his tail in the direction of the leader's den in the ferns. "Thank you...what was your name?" mewed Strike. "Rainpaw," mumbled the tortoiseshell apprentice. "Rainpaw. Then we'll be on our way." Strike flicked Shade, and the two made their way towards Ashstar's den. The apprentice sat there, staring after them as they faded into the thin gray mist. Strike had had him fear-struck. Chapter 2 ~ Strike "And...how long did you say you'd be?" "About a half-moon. Perhaps longer, but we won't be in ShadowClan by the next full moon. Which is in...well, a moon," meowed Strike. "Ah, then you are allowed to stay and take a look at the warrior's training," purred Ashstar. Shade glanced at Strike. She nodded at him, and they turned back to Ashstar. "I think it'd be alright if we were just in the apprentice's den for a little while, don't you think?" she mewed. Shade purred his agreement. "That'll be fine," replied Ashstar. "You can go make yourselves nests, if you wish." The two black cats nodded, eyes shining, and padded out. The hazy fog was slowly lifting once they'd come out. Sunlight was starting to break over the earlier gray cloud cover. "That went wonderfully," mused Shade quietly. He was deep in thought. Probably yet another "great plot" that would go into action within the next moon. "Why, yes it did," purred Strike quietly. "Now, how about following the leader's advice and making ourselves nests?" "I thought you were the only leader here," Shade murmured to his littermate. "I am, you're welcome. And that advice Ashstar gave us is my advice to you now." "Fine," grumbled Shade. "No need to get so worked up." "Worked up, eh?" snarled Strike. She unsheathed one set of ridiculously long white claws. "We'll see who's worked up." "Uhh...I'd rather not," whimpered Shade, backing up slowly. "I'll...I'll go now." He dashed towards the apprentice's den. Strike grinned, her fangs glinting in what moonlight there was. "Time to set this plan into action." Chapter 3 ~ Rainpaw "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!" Rainpaw groggily got to his feet. "What in the name of StarClan is going on?" he yawned. Willowpaw leaped up gracefully and nudged him lightly. "Shh. Ashstar's just called a Clan meeting! We need to go out and see what's up?" The silver-and-black she cat padded out quietly. Rainpaw padded out in exhaustion, eyes droopy and yawning heavily. "There are new warriors among us," yowled Ashstar. This set off a large riot of confused calls. "Who?" gasped one cat. "It must be Rainpaw and Willowpaw!" exclaimed another. "They're very close." "Mouse-brains!" sniffed yet another. "It could be Snowpaw!" Ashstar sat calmly, waiting for the voices in the clearing to settle down. "Last night, two rogues came to us." Oh no! thought Rainpaw. Those rogues are becoming warriors! He looked around nervously, but couldn't spot the thick, glossy black pelts anywhere. "Meet Strike and Shade. They will be staying with us for a short while. They would like to see how Clan life is. They will not be in ShadowClan for more than a moon." Suddenly, Rainpaw spotted Strike, hovering against the dark bushes. Her green eyes glinted...and glared directly at him. "Wait! Ashstar!" gasped Fernflight. "You can't just let strangers into the Clan like this!" "I trust these cats," meowed the gray-and-black leader calmly. "They will help train with us. Just to get a good sense of our training." "You...you don't actually believe this, do you?" gasped Fernflight, staring out at the Clan. But all cats except Rainpaw looked as if they believed in Strike and Shade's causes. "I want to see these new warriors for myself!" shouted the ginger-and-white deputy. "So be it," sighed Ashstar. "Strike, Shade, please come forward." The two black cats stepped forward. But Strike...she certainly wasn't the snarling menace Rainpaw had seen last night. The vicious look had left her eyes, and she looked little more than an innocent, newly-made apprentice. Shade was quite different as well. His pelt was flat and calm, and he was just barely more than Strike's size. All other cats seemed to think that this pair was hardly a threat. How could this be? They'd looked so threatening in the dark last night... And Rainpaw nearly facepawed for being such a mouse-brain. They could have been acting last night! So that they weren't attacked for looking so helpless. "Well...I guess they could stay..." mewed Fernflight. The uncertainty had completely left her voice. "Then it's decided," purred Ashstar. "Strike and Shade will be in ShadowClan until the next full moon." As the whole Clan started cheering "Strike! Shade! Strike! Shade!", Rainpaw couldn't help but join in. Until he realized Strike's venomous green gaze was burning into him once more. Chapter 4 ~ Rainpaw Rainpaw nestled quietly into his moss nest. The moonlight patrol had just left, and outside the camp Foxflight was keeping guard. It was then that he heard the voices again. "We can't just waltz around without drawing suspiscion!" whisper-hissed Strike's voice. "But we are taking over. And to do that, we have to waltz around!" came the sound of Shade's voice. "...you just make no sense," sighed Strike. "Just be quiet!" snapped Shade. "I'm trying to pinpoint this Clan's weaknesses before I destroy them. It'll be simpler if we just talk straightforward to cats in order to find out." "You...can't!" gasped Strike. Rainpaw stood frozen. Shade was plotting to take over ShadowClan, and Strike realized that he couldn't! Well, at least ''some cat had sense to do what was best for this Clan!'' Rainpaw crept quietly over to the entrance of the den. Strike and Shade were engaged in even quieter whispering that he'd never pick up without jumping straight into the conversation. "Fine! Have it your way, Miss I-know-how-to-make-a-practical-approach!" hissed Shade. "Then that's settled," sighed Strike, clearly exasperated. "You're not going about like...like whatever your plan was." "Whatever. We should get some sleep. It's late," mumbled Shade. The black tom padded off. Rainpaw managed to catch his last mumble. "I mean, it's not like I'll carry out my plan regardless." An evil smile flickered on his face in the vague moonlight. With a silent gasp of horror, Rainpaw dove deep into his nest and buried his muzzle under his legs. If only time drove off memories as well as it healed wounds. Chapter 5 ~ Strike My brother can be such a mouse-brain at times, thought Strike, grumbling indistinct words under her breath as she headed for the camp entrance. "Hey, Strike!" The black she-cat whipped around to see Fernflight padding lightly towards her. "Would you like to join the dawn patrol?" the ShadowClan deputy asked. "It'll be a nice experience, I hope, and all you really need to do is check the borders, perhaps remark them if it's getting a little stale." "Umm..." Strike was stuck. She didn't want to go on some patrol! But...well, winning cats' trust here in ShadowClan was her top priority. "Sure. I'll go." "Oh, that's great!" exclaimed Fernflight. "Rainpaw, Willowpaw, Jaysong, come here!" Oh, no, Strike thought. That...that Rainpaw... "You can join me and Strike on the dawn patrol," Fernflight purred. "And Rainpaw, you haven't been on a dawn patrol in ages. We'd better get more experience in you." "Uh, fine..." yawned the tortoiseshell tom. "Pleased to," purred Willowpaw and Jaysong simultaneously. "Perfect. Let's go," sighed the ginger-and-white she-cat, trotting outside at the head of the patrol. When they were a ways from camp, Rainpaw dropped to the back of the patrol, right beside Strike. "I heard you talking last night," the tom hissed. Strike froze in her tracks. "You...heard...me and...Shade?" she gasped. "Yeah. And I want to stop Shade. He's going to take over ShadowClan!" he snarled. The rogue stared at him for a bit, shocked. "Ah, yes," she meowed softly. "Shade. He wants to just break loose on the Clans and take them over. He doesn't realize he can't just do that." "Exactly!" exclaimed Rainpaw. "Not so loud!" hissed Strike. She paused to lick down her chest fur. "Anyways. I'm going to need your help in this. You need to get close to Shade. And, if he tries anything funny - anything at all - tell me. I don't want him doing something stupid, and...I want to earn trust, not just lose it like that with one fluff-brained move like he would make." "Got it!" exclaimed Rainpaw. "And I can tell you if he starts telling me his plans for taking over in a heartbeat?" "Um, yes," Strike sighed. "Hey!" shouted Fernflight. Thank the night, thought Strike. I'm saved from...him. "Keep up with the patrol! We're heading for the RiverClan border first and it'll be sunhigh by the time you two get there at this pace!" "Fine," grumbled Rainpaw, bounding ahead. "Thanks," breathed Strike. "I can get a little...alone time." She looked expectantly into the bushes, where a pair of vivid amber eyes emerged, and a swish of dark fur flickered into vision. "Coast is clear, Shade." Chapter 6 ~ Rainpaw Blood rushed through the apprentice's ears as he raced across the pine-needle-strewn earth. Pine branches rustled above him. The sleek tortoiseshell pounced onto the squirrel below him, barely managing to sink his fangs into the soft body. "Great job, Rainpaw!" exclaimed Fernflight, trotting towards him. "Thanks, Fernflight." Rainpaw puffed up his chest with pride. "Not bad for a cat whose brain is smaller than his prey's," giggled Willowpaw. "Willowpaw!" snapped Jaysong. "A true warrior congratulates her Clanmates, not teases them." "Fine, whatever." The silver-and-black striped she-cat padded away, stormy blue eyes downcast. "Drama queen," growled Rainpaw under his breath. Fernflight picked up the fat gray squirrel. "Ready to go?" she managed around the fluffy lump. Rainpaw nodded, and leaped away into the pine trees. "Rainpaw..." a voice on the wind caught his attention. The tortoiseshell apprentice stopped dead in his tracks. "Who's there?" he snarled, baring his fangs and unsheathing his claws. "...can't possibly be that much of a threat, can he?" That was Shade's voice! "He could be, and I know you don't want any interference," meowed Strike's voice. Honestly, what is with me and hearing these two talking? thought Rainpaw. "I'' don't want any interference?" snarled Shade. "I thought--" Strike hushed him, and urgently murmured in his ear. "He might be listening". ''Oh no! he thought. He scrambled after the patrol. What am I going to do about these two? Chapter 7 ~ Strike The pair of black cats, pelt blending into one dark shadow, swooshed into camp. "Ah, there you are, Strike!" meowed Fernflight. "I was about to start looking for you!" "...right," muttered the she-cat. "I was just, uh...looking for prey. Too bad I didn't find any." She flexed her claws. "That's too bad," sighed Fernflight. "We could use some talent like yours to keep the fresh-kill pile up." The deputy flicked her striped ginger tail towards a small heap of fluff and feathers. Too bad...''thought Strike. ''For you, maybe. "Strike!" hissed Shade. "Come here!" "Coming, coming," growled Strike. She trotted towards her brother, and quickly ushered him into a dark space in the bushes beside camp. Pine-scent was thick in the air, as it was everywhere in the pine forest. "So, are we ready to set the plans into action?" whispered Shade. "No, not yet," murmured Strike. "But, give me a few sunrises, and we'll be set." "I guess it'll work," hissed the tom. He unsheathed his claws - shorter than Strike's, but still rather impressive. "Yes, it will. I'll gain the trust of these cats," snarled Strike. "It'll be perfect." A spark ignited in her eyes. Chapter 8 ~ Strike A half-moon had passed since the arrival of Strike and Shade. Every ShadowClan cat trusted them. That is, except for Rainpaw. Strike knew that there wouldn't be any way to get him to trust Shade, so she just had to let this one slide. After all, her plan was running smoothly, and all she needed to do was lower the amount of Clan cats around the lake. And that was easier than killing a kit. Category:Fanfiction Category:Dazzle's Fanfiction